Writing on Politics Home on Wednesday, the MP for East Devon said: “Taking some time to reflect on something other than regulatory borders, backstops, and barriers to trade may provide Parliament with some welcome relief this week.

“I would not diminish this moment of acute constitutional importance for our nation.

“But it is a Parliamentary quirk that time each sitting day is given to backbenchers to bring issues to the government’s attention.”

He added: "Tragically, the traditional medicine, curio and aquarium trades are threatening the future of seahorses. We know that 25 to 65 million seahorses per year are taken from seas and oceans across the world."

'Punching above their weight'

A jar of dried seahorses, which have been seized by UK Border Force staff.

The MP argued that although seahorses are protected under the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species, the internet allows for seahorses to be traded illegally

Sir Swire concluded that he had met with a seahorse conservative organisation tackling the issue but that they were “punching well above their weight in getting the plight of the seahorse noticed”.